Urban renewal changing face of Motherwell

By Max Matavire Metro Editor

THE Motherwell urban renewal programme, one of the eight presidential initiatives launched throughout the country in 2001, is making steady progress in alleviating poverty, according to the officials driving it.

Motherwell – a crime-ridden township with a population of about 300 000 people, mostly immigrants from rural Transkei who moved in after the fall of the homelands, and with half of its population unemployed – was chosen by President Thabo Mbeki as an urban node that urgently needed renewal.

The aim of the programme, Murp, is to eradicate high levels of poverty and under-development in the area by delivering services that integrate national, provincial and local government priorities. The programme encourages community participation in development.

The former mainly dormitory township is slowly turning into a “well functioning” part of the city, thanks to the identification of close to 70 projects by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality that are not only changing the aesthetics of the township, but also its residents‘ standard of living.

Initially it was estimated that the entire Motherwell urban renewal programme – which includes various projects from a hawkers‘ facility to a small business incubator – would cost about R1-billion. But Murp manager William Shaidi feels this amount “is very unlikely to be enough”.

The implementation of the programme spans between 10 and 15 years, and so far around R400-million has been spent on projects.

About 26 projects have been completed, 15 are being implemented and another 24 are at the design and planning stages. Among the more significant projects are the upgrading of the NU2 stadium and the construction of a new police station and magistrate‘s court complex. All three are nearing completion.

Another project is the R15-million Ikamvelihle housing project, which will see 2 300 houses built. A total of 2 100 units have been completed and are occupied, says municipal housing manager Mvuleni Mapu.

The Sakhuluntu high-density housing pilot project is also taking shape.

Another milestone is the development of a master plan for Motherwell. This document, which has now been adopted by the council, guides all development in the township, making it compliant with relevant legislation.

Deputy Local Government Minister Nomatyala Hangana was in Motherwell last month to launch a range of service delivery projects. These included repairs to leaking water pipes, erecting a fence along the Addo road to protect pedestrians and motorists from stray cows, installing lights along Tyinira Road, (one of Motherwell‘s main arterial roads), and small business projects that will aid in dealing with these problems.

Repairs to the water pipes have provided training to 12 community plumbers and created 21 jobs, and assisted in the conservation of water.

The R3-million Addo road project has created 14 jobs to date, and is welcomed by residents relieved that now their children will be able to safely cross the road to school.

Over the next five years, said Shaidi, emphasis would be placed on the strengthening of capacity in Motherwell to accelerate service delivery.

Skills and technical expertise would be mobilised through another national government initiative – Project Consolidate – which aimed to assist ailing municipalities by providing both capacity and expertise.

Shaidi said about 6 000 jobs had been created by the Murp. “Due to the nature of the employment, most of these are temporary. Currently, the Murp has no data on the secondary employment opportunities that the implementation of projects has created. In addition, more than 300 existing or upcoming small businesses have received training.”

The Motherwell urban renewal programme was in its fourth year of implementation, and “is gaining momentum”, he said..

A proposed R3-million, nine-hole golf course is part of the programme. The land issue and overall planning for this project have been completed. Approval of the environmental management plan is now awaited and additional funds are being sought.

As a main thrust of the urban renewal programme is to keep the youth occupied through some form of employment, the Motherwell Youth Forum has been actively involved in the processes, and most of those engaged in these projects are drawn from the ranks of the youth.

The European Union and the South African government have signed a financing agreement for some R120-million to benefit Motherwell over the next four to five years.

The second presidential urban renewal programme node in the Eastern Cape, Mdantsane in Buffalo City, will receive similar support from the EU.

The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Development Bank of Southern Africa regarding a sustainable communities programme to run over three years.

Among the challenges facing the Murp is that there will be no further equitable share funding for the programme during this financial year.